On Christmas morning, trays of Christmas goodies were distributed to our friends and neighbours. We children dressed up in all their finery would be entrusted with this task. All the servants, the sweepers and other helpers would be given a ‘bakshis’ or money gift, also clothes and Christmas sweets. The men would also get a quarter bottle of booze.
We usually attended Midnight Mass dressed in our new Christmas frocks, specially tailored for the great day and bundled up in our jackets and coats as it was very cold in KGF in December.
A small mini fair would invariably come up outside the church gates, with vendors selling balloons, crackers, cheap plastic toys, plastic sunglasses, plastic spinning tops, bugles, trumpets, little bamboo sticks with balloons attached, etc., which we would gleefully buy and enjoy. After midnight Mass, we'd sometimes visit our firend's houses for a small sing song session and have some cake and wine or just go home and do the same thing.
As Christmas day was usually hectic with visiting and socializing, most of the cooking was done beforehand on Christmas Eve, except for the turkey or chicken that was left to slow roast on a low fire or ‘Dum’ over night. Other Anglo-Indian delicacies such as Oxtail Vindaloo, Tongue Roast, Trotters etc., would be left to cook the whole night on low heat, so that by Christmas morning the meat was succulent and tender. We normally woke up late on Christmas morning and then enjoyed a Hearty breakfast of Eggs, sausages and bacon. Christmas morning invariably had family and friends visiting us and enjoying some of the Christmas goodies prepared by my mum.
A typical Christmas lunch at our house was usually a large meal comprising of a Meat Pullao, Chicken Curry, Stuffed Roast turkey or Chicken Roast, Pork Vindaloo, Duck Vindaloo, steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread, dinner rolls, Christmas pudding, Cakes, Sweets, etc, etc, all washed down with a glass or two of Wine or a peg or two of Whiskey, brandy or other liquor. There was always fun and banter round the festive table and small tiffs as to who would get the ‘lucky bones’, the gizzards, ‘the pope’s nose’, ‘the chicken neck’ etc.
My mum always served the Christmas pudding cold at the end of the Christmas Lunch. Just before serving it, my dad would pour a glass of brandy or Rum over it and he'd then light it with a match stick. The lovely blue flame for those few minutes, would encompass the pudding and the heat would help the rum or brandy to soak in. We usually ate it plain or with Fresh cream.
We usually spent Christmas evening visiting our grand parents, Aunts and Uncles and cousins at White Haven in Robertsonpet.
The 31st of December was another occasion to celebrate. A huge new year Ball was normally held in the Skating Rink to bring in the New Year, and just like the Christmas Shows local Anglo-Indian Bands or bands from Madras or Bangalore were engaged to play at it. A huge bonfire was lit outside the Skating Rink and an effigy of an old man representing the old year was thrown into the bonfire at midnight and firecrackers were lit to signal the start of the New year and fresh begininnings.
We usually attended Midnight Mass dressed in our new Christmas frocks, specially tailored for the great day and bundled up in our jackets and coats as it was very cold in KGF in December.
A small mini fair would invariably come up outside the church gates, with vendors selling balloons, crackers, cheap plastic toys, plastic sunglasses, plastic spinning tops, bugles, trumpets, little bamboo sticks with balloons attached, etc., which we would gleefully buy and enjoy. After midnight Mass, we'd sometimes visit our firend's houses for a small sing song session and have some cake and wine or just go home and do the same thing.
As Christmas day was usually hectic with visiting and socializing, most of the cooking was done beforehand on Christmas Eve, except for the turkey or chicken that was left to slow roast on a low fire or ‘Dum’ over night. Other Anglo-Indian delicacies such as Oxtail Vindaloo, Tongue Roast, Trotters etc., would be left to cook the whole night on low heat, so that by Christmas morning the meat was succulent and tender. We normally woke up late on Christmas morning and then enjoyed a Hearty breakfast of Eggs, sausages and bacon. Christmas morning invariably had family and friends visiting us and enjoying some of the Christmas goodies prepared by my mum.
A typical Christmas lunch at our house was usually a large meal comprising of a Meat Pullao, Chicken Curry, Stuffed Roast turkey or Chicken Roast, Pork Vindaloo, Duck Vindaloo, steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread, dinner rolls, Christmas pudding, Cakes, Sweets, etc, etc, all washed down with a glass or two of Wine or a peg or two of Whiskey, brandy or other liquor. There was always fun and banter round the festive table and small tiffs as to who would get the ‘lucky bones’, the gizzards, ‘the pope’s nose’, ‘the chicken neck’ etc.
My mum always served the Christmas pudding cold at the end of the Christmas Lunch. Just before serving it, my dad would pour a glass of brandy or Rum over it and he'd then light it with a match stick. The lovely blue flame for those few minutes, would encompass the pudding and the heat would help the rum or brandy to soak in. We usually ate it plain or with Fresh cream.
We usually spent Christmas evening visiting our grand parents, Aunts and Uncles and cousins at White Haven in Robertsonpet.
The 31st of December was another occasion to celebrate. A huge new year Ball was normally held in the Skating Rink to bring in the New Year, and just like the Christmas Shows local Anglo-Indian Bands or bands from Madras or Bangalore were engaged to play at it. A huge bonfire was lit outside the Skating Rink and an effigy of an old man representing the old year was thrown into the bonfire at midnight and firecrackers were lit to signal the start of the New year and fresh begininnings.
